Internal-combustion engine



I. M. DAVIDSON;

INTERNAL comsusnon ENGINE APPLICATION FILED A UG- I3, 1919.

1,357,152. Patented Oct 26,1920.

WITNESS: N INV ENTOR.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, IRA M. DAVIDSON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, .TO SUNSHINE PATENT COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application filed August 18, 1919. Serial No. 318,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA M. DAVIDSON,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the countyof Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to internal conibustion engines and has for itsobject to produce an efficient engine of this character provided with arotary distributer having a single channel for controlling the suction,compression and firing action and for cooperating with an exhaust portin scavengin the engine. A further object is to provide an engine of thetype outlined provided with a distributer and a valve interposed betweenthe distributer and piston for receiving the reactionary force of theexplosion and with an exhaust port for the discharge of the flames at apoint remote from the distributer to protect the latter and therebyminimize unequal expansion of the same and consequently increase theefliciencyof operation.

With these general objects in view the 1nvention consists in certainnovel and use ful features of construction and organization of parts ashereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood reference is to be had to the accdmpanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1, is a fragmentary central vertical sectionof a four cycleengine embodying the invention with the piston at the end of its firingor working stroke in full lines and in dotted lines at the end of itsexhaust and scavenging stroke. 7

Fig. 2, is a similar but diagrammatic view showlng the piston at thecompletion of its suction stroke, an in dotted lines at the beginning ofits firing stroke.

Fi 3, is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the engine equipped withthe ordinary type of puppet valve as distinguished from the sleeve typeshown by Fig. 1.

In thecsaid drawing, 1 indicates the cylinder of the engine providedwith an exhaust port 2. It is also provided with a chamber 3, an intakeport 4:, a scavenging port 5 and a passage 6, the latter communicatingwith the piston chamber at its outer end. Fittlng snugly in'the chamber3 is a rotating distributer 7 adapted to be driven from the cam shaft inthe customary or any preferred manner, and provided with a singlechannel 8 for successive communication with the intake port, thescavenging port and sald passage 6. The head of the cylinder constltutesa valve seat .9 for a puppet valve whereby communication between thepiston chamber and passage 6, is controlled. In the preferredconstruction as shown by Fig. 1, the puppet valve 10 is in the form of ahollow cylinder open at both ends and seated at is upperextremityagainst the underside of the head, and said head is provided with one ormore openings 11 for the reception of one or more spark plugs, notshown, it being noted that as the open end of the valve 10 is of largearea, it is practicable to utilize a plurality of spark plugs, ifdeslred, for the better propagation of combustion and the consequentlymore reliable and eflicient operation of the engine. With the other typeof engine, as shown by Fig. 3, it is hardly practicable to employ morethan one spark plug in amulticylinder engine, the spark plug opening insaid construction being shown at one end of the cylinder as at 12.

In both .cases the puppet valve is opened by the action of a driven cam13, the same being located at the lower end of the valve and operatingon a lateral projection 14 thereof, in the constructionshown by Fig 1.In the other construction the puppet valve is provided with a centralstem 15 extending up through a passage 15 in the head, which passage isenlarged to receive a spring 16 hearing at its lower end upon the headand at its upper end upon a cap 17 fit ting on the stem and adapted forengagement and depression by the cam 13 once in each revolution thereof.In the preferred 7 construction the sleeve valve 10 is engaged at itsinner end by a spring 18 hearing against a flanged ring 19 or the like,rigid with and depending from the inner end of the cylindenthe spring inboth cases being adapted to seat the valve quickly when not en aged bythe cam.

he sleeve valve is provided with a lateral port 20 which is incommunication with the exhaust port 2 of the cylinder when the saidvalve is closed, and said port 20 is at times closed by the piston 21which fits with a sub stantially gas-tight relation in the sleeve valve,it being understood that the pressure of the spring on the sleeve valvewill be.

suflicient to guard against opening movement of the sleeve valve underthe frictional enga ement of the inwardly moving 1piston 1g. 3,

21. ith the construction shown by the piston operates directly withinthe cylinder as customary and hence has no tendency through friction toeffect the openin of the overlying puppet valve.

he preferred construction possesses one distinct advantage over theother construction in that it will exert suctional action for the fullstroke of the piston as hereinafter more particularly pointed out,whereas with the construction shown by Fig. 3, there will be a drop inpressure just before the full.

suctional stroke of the piston is completed, because it beginsto uncoverthe exhaust port 2.justbefore such stroke is ended.

ijThe operation of the preferred construc tion is, as follows: As thefiring or working stroke is ended, the flame and approximately seventyper cent. of the hot gases esca ethrough the registering ports 20 and2,and y 'cam which opened the. sleeve valve as explained, holds it openuntil the piston has made its following or suction stroke, and as suchstroke ends the cam passes out of engagement with the valve and the sring instantly closes the same, the distri uter occupying the positionshown in dotted lines 6. At the-completion of the suction stroke dottedlines A this time the sleeve valve is closed and in conjunction with thehead of the cylinder Fig. 1, at the completion of the scavenging stroke,that is to say occupying a position in whichit has started to opencommunication between the intake port and the passage the distributeroccupies the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, and as thecompression stroke ends, the channel of the distributer occu ies theposition shown by ig. 2, it being noted that at sustains the compressionof the charge of gas ready for ignition.

It will be noted that as thevalve is held in its innermost position,that is in a position where it brides and therefore closes the exhaustport 2, uring the suction stroke, there is no waste of fresh gas. Withthe construction shown by Fig. 1, there is a small wastage of the freshgas during the fraction of time between the inward movement of thepiston past port 2 and the reclosure of said port by the piston upon itsensuing or compression stroke.

By the use of a rotary distributer precision in opening and closing atall speeds is obtained and by protecting said distributhe distributer isprotected from the flames and greater volume of the hot gases, is alsodesirable as trouble due to the deposit of carbon on the distributerorseat thereof is largely eliminated, and this being true danger ofmisfiring is lessened and the necesslty of comparatively frequentgrinding is obviated.

The use of rotary or oscillating valves has been contemplated but as faras applicant is aware no such construction has proven eflicient andsatisfactory.

While the drawing shows and the specification refers to a singlecylinder and its equipment, it is obvious that the inventioncontemplates multi-cylinder motors, and that insuch motors it ispracticable to employ a single distributer provided with a channel foreach cylinder.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced aninternal combustion engine embodying a reciprocatory piston and a rotarydistributer, which will operate efliciently at anyspeed and in which thedistributer has a self-cleaning action by shearing engagement with theedges of the ports over which it operates, and while I have illustratedand described the preferred and one other type of construction of'theengine, it is apparent that it is'sus ceptible of modification withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In aninternal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder havingan exhaust port at a point intermediate its ends, acylindrical chamber,having. intake and scavenging ports communicating therewith and apassage connecting said chamber with the outer end of the pistonchamber, a valve normally closing communication between the pistonchamber and said passage, a rotary distributer fitting in said chamberand provided with a channel for establishing communication between thepassage and the intake port andthe scavenging port and said memespassage in each revolution, a piston for re- 1sleeve form and externallyembracing the piston, and provided with an exhaust port normallyregistering with the exhaust port" of the cylinder and when fullyunseated, out of register with said last named port.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderhaving an exhaust port at a point intermediate its ends, a cylindricalchamber, having intake and scavenging ports communicating therewith anda passage connecting said chamber with the outer end of the pistonchamber, a yieldingly closed puppet valve normally closing communicationbetween the piston chamber and said passage, a rotary distributerfitting in said chamber and provided with 'a'channel for establishingcommunication between the passage and the intake port and the scavengingport and said passage in each revolution, a piston for reciprocating inthe cylinder and for opening the exhaust port thereof on each in-stroke,means for unseating said valve on the completion of the Working orfiring stroke of the piston and for holding said valve open until thenext outward or suction stroke of the piston has occurred, said valvebeing of sleeve form and externally embracing the piston, and providedwith an exhaust port normally registering with the exhaust port of thecylinder and when fully unseated, out of register with said last-namedport.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

IRA M. DAVIDSON.

